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What should have been the biggest moment in recent history for the Mississippi State football program has turned into a bit of a nightmare for the university, thanks to the SEC.
The Bulldogs, who entered the game as 6.5-point underdogs, knocked off visiting Arizona State, 24-20, in front of 60,000 fans at Davis Wade Stadium.
The Sun Devils, who are the reigning Big 12 champions, entered the contest ranked No. 12 in the nation and off the back of an impressive College Football Playoff showing against Texas.
It marked the first ranked win for second-year Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby, and the program’s first ranked win since the tragic passing of Mike Leach in 2022.
SEC Slams Mississippi State With Huge Fine After Fans Storm The Field
Understandably, Bulldogs fans were fired up after the win. They quickly rushed the field and tore down the goalposts, swamping players with high fives and head taps as well.
Unfortunately for Mississippi State, stopping field storming has been a point of emphasis for the SEC, and the conference hammered Bulldogs fans for their insubordination.
Sam Sklar of the Clarion Ledger reports that the conference fined the Bulldogs $500,000 for the incident. While you may not think that’s a lot of money for an SEC football program, Mississippi State regularly sits at the bottom of the conference when it comes to athletic spending.
The SEC claimed that the school violated its competition area policy. The police states that “institutions shall limit access to competition areas to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel, and properly credentialed or authorized individuals at all times. For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest may spectators enter the competition area.”
How exactly the Bulldogs could have prevented people from storming the field in a stadium with 60,000, we do not know. However, a moment that should’ve been a major win for the program has now turned into a financial headache for the athletic department.